Chhath Puja: AAP says 'fake' Yamuna ghat created with filtered water for PM, BJP hits back
New Delhi (PTI): Amid the Chhath Puja festivities, the AAP on Sunday accused the BJP of creating a "fake" Yamuna ghat with filtered water for Prime Minister Narendra Modi while devotees have to stand in the polluted river.
The BJP hit back, terming the AAP's allegations "a shameful model of political frustration".
Addressing a press conference here, AAP Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj said the BJP is "fooling" the devotees and playing with the lives of Purvanchalis.
"In a desperate bid to seize power in Bihar, the BJP is playing with the lives of lakhs of Purvanchalis in Delhi. A fake Yamuna ghat filled with filtered water has been built at Vasudev Ghat for PM Modi while devotees have to stand in the polluted river," he said.
He claimed the water for the ghat has been taken from the Wazirabad water treatment plant pipeline, which supplies Delhi's drinking water.
Bharadwaj further claimed that Delhi Water Minister Parvesh Verma is now spraying the same chemical in the Yamuna to clear the foam for which he once abused the previous AAP government and manhandled officials.
The BJP is telling a thousand lies to hide one. Its drama is designed to fool voters and hide the truth that the Yamuna remains dangerously toxic, the AAP leader charged.
"The Delhi Pollution Control Committee admits that the (Yamuna) water can cause serious diseases, yet BJP leaders are busy with photo-ops and spraying chemicals to mask the foam," Bharadwaj said.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva dismissed the AAP's allegations at a press conference.
"Today, the people of Delhi and the entire country witnessed the shameful model of political frustration of the Aam Aadmi Party's leadership. People saw AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj objecting to the cleaning of the natural Vasudev Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna and to the availability of clean water there," he said.
"The live video released by Saurabh Bharadwaj from the Yamuna banks, in which he objected to the cleaning of the river, was the first-ever political drama in which an opposition leader raised objections against the government's efforts to ensure cleanliness and sanitation," he said.
Hitting out at the previous AAP dispensation, Sachdeva claimed that from 2018 to 2024, former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal banned Chhath Puja on the banks of the Yamuna.
Now, when Rekha Gupta's government has completed the basic cleaning of the Yamuna and made natural ghats available for devotees to perform Chhath rituals in just eight months, they are raising a hue and cry, he said.
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
